Chain fastener



Nov. 24, 1931. V F. H. LEWIS 1,833,165

CHAIN FASTENER Filed March 5, 1931 1 INVENTOR 1 tachably connecting chain links.

in Figure 1, is a planview of the structure;

Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES" FRED H. LEWIS, or YORK, rmmsnvAmniiissIGnoa, THE Moms; COMPANY, OF rrtrTsnuRsr-r, rn v vsrnvnnrn CHAIN Wm Application filed. March 5,

My invention relates to chain fasteners, and more particularly to a fastener for 'de- While my invention is hereinafter described as employed more particularly in connection with tire chains, it will be understood that it is useful also in various other relations.

One object of my'invention is to provide a chain fastener, that while it may be readily manipulated to open and close the same, it'is securely held against opening accidentally.

Another object of my invention is to pro-' vide a chain fastener of generally simplified and improved form. i

One'form which my invention may take is shown in the accompanying drawings, where- Fig. 2 is a side elevational view; Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing the.fas-' tener in opened position; Fig. 4. shows the manner in which the keeper may be moved to engage or release the'latching lever, and Fig. 5 is' a view taken on the line V -V of Fig. 2. V

The fastener is shown asdetachably con- 7 necting links 6 and 7 which may Joe-the end links of a side chain of a tire chain structure.

The fastener comprisesa connector bar 8, a latch lever 9, and a keeper 10. The connector bar 8 is pivotally oined to the link 6 by a rivet 11, and the latch lever 9'is connected tothe bar 8 by a pivot member 12. The connector bar and the latch lever have semi-circular recesses that serveas a seat for the link 7, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The free end of the lever 9 is of hook form, such hook having a nose portion 13 and a heel portion 14 that lie on a line diagonal to the bodyportion of the lever.

The keeper 13 is of yoke-like or flattened loop form as shown moreclearly in Fig. 5. The longer internal diameter of the keeper is of less length than the distance between the keeper,;and the safidrpoints lying on a v line diagonal to the connector bar when'the v the portions 13 and 14 of the hook, so thatit cannot be disengaged from the hook except by a tilting movement from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, to the full-line posi-f tion thereof. In other words, the distance between the points 13 and 14 of the hook is stomastra s; an casings therefrom; ;simply' by depressing; the i latch ment of the keeperE-wi ll, of course, bring it to operative position, as in-Fig. 2. r Y

I- claim as my invention 2+ 1. A chain fastener comprising aconnec-j a keeper of loop-like form slidably supported keeper. has to be tilted to; approximately-a i certain angle,'as'shownigc,be 0l?egit,can V v he slid to releasedposition ,Ai'reyerse nove{ tor bar, a latch lever pivotally connected'at one of its endsto' said bar and having its] other end turned backwardlyto form a hook, r

on the bar, the sides of the keeper being spaced apart asufiicient distance to receive the lever member and the connector bar member when.

said members are inside by'side relation and the'longer internal" diameter of the keeper beingless than the distance between the nose and heel portions of the hook. V V v l 1 A chain fastener comprising a connector bar, a keeper'slidably supported on said bar, a latch. lever pivotally connected at one of its ends to the said bar and having a, back wardly-turned hook portion disposed on lines diagonal to the body portion of the lever, the

dimension of saidjhook portion along said' diagonal lines being greater than the internal diameter of the keeper, and the greatest di-' mension of such hook portion along lines perpendicular to the body portion-of the lever being less than the said internal diameter.

3. 'A cha in fastener comprising a connector bar of flat stock, a keeper carried thereby, a

latch lever of flat stock pivotallyconnected at oneof its end'sto the connector bar and i having an outwardly and backwardly-turned -hook portion on its other end, the distance between the outermostpoint of thefhook and the innermost point of the lever at said'end beinggreater than the internal dimension of lever is in closed position. '-f

supported on the bar for movement into and out of engagement with 'thesaid hook, and means preventing movement of said keeper to inoperative position when the keeper-is dis- 7 posed in a planeperpendicular to the plane 5. A' chain fastener comprising meanw- :tor barrof flat stock, a latch lever offlat stock 7 a I pivotallyi oonnected.tethe'har againstone 4 7 10 s'idethereof; akeej .erv ofielongatedrloop 'slidably supporte onsa'id'har, the greater internal diameter of the keeper being-ofsl i I fici'ent length relative to the width ofthe bar a V v V V j to permit tilting of thetkeeper tot anisangleof ge i- 1 5 approximately 45, and the keeper being of a width toembrace thebar and thelver when I theyare in'sidebyisidezrelation,and'a back l War-kily-turned'hook :porti'on on the leventhe f a lever extending-beyond the outermost edg 'eof -26 the hook portionf-a distanee greaterthan -the said longer diameter of the keeper. In tesfmony 'whereof' I, the said FRED- lmwimfhavehereilnto setmyhandi V 

